The Riches of Power

Lost in her mind

Pov Taryn

He was out there... he would have to be, with the position he worked himself to. I could hear the shifting of the leaves beyond the clearing and smell the hundreds of demons that must be lurking. I could hear them speaking in their different tongues all jumbled together and unable to be deciphered into anything comprehensible. It's not like we didn't know what they would do. They were here for blood like they did in Japan. I've heard the stories of that vicious attack done when the demons had just started the rebellion. They wanted to show they meaned business, but their act almost had them wiped out when they received a retaliation attack a few days later.

My head turns up sharply to a specific spot in the trees. I hear his low familiar chuckle. A glass shard pushes into my heart. And I ball my hands into fists in my pocket, pushing my nails into my skin. I want to be able to sneak my way out of this sanctuary and the acid to get to him. I want to sit by his side listening to the crackling fire that lays in front of him. Feel his arm slide behind my back and rest on my waist.

No you can't go back to him, not after that. Not after what he did. You know where you lie in his mind. You can't have him. He doesn't want you the way you want him.

That last one hurt. That last one stung. The shard in my heart turned into a knife that was being twisted and swirled around. I took in a deep breathe making sure it wasn't shaky before exhaling. I would be fine. I would push on. I waited a few moments sitting still like I had been lost in my thoughts. I felt like twitching, but I don't normally twitch. When i heard his voice whisper in my ear mingled with that of others I stood up. I needed something to do. I couldn't sit here knowing how close he was, hearing him happy and laughing with what he had done to me, even though his charade was basic fabrication.

I couldn't stand it. I wanted to find some way over to him and and wrap him in a sweet embrace and lavish him in my forgiveness, but in equal measure I wanted to throw him into that acidic ocean that kept me from him.

"Taryn?" Elaina asked, anxiously. I turned back to her my gaze daring her to speak, her questions were silenced and I continued my trek to the edge of the roof. I jumped off did a small flip to help me land nimbly in a crouching position. I stood up brushing off any of the nonexistent dust from my knees, out of habit. The irritation that the sanctuary had seemed to decrease as if the sanctuary could feel we that we were no longer a threat.

In these hours we have been trapped within these walls like caged mice, the eight had started training in their specialty weapons. I had a feeling they could use some extra studying in the types of demons they might face. For every demon has their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their own secrets.

They knew of the traipses, the gargoyles, Sailenze, nimbs, the lizard like demon Saurians, not to be confused with is Zaebos who though has Saurian blood in him is made of much more powerful entities, along with many others.

I used what knowledge I had of the rebellion that I've gathered from my stay as I walked to the barracks. What kind of demons would they send out for this attack, not all of them. Not their succubus's nor their incubus's, perhaps they would leave their new members behind or they would be eager for angel blood. I decided to focus in on my senses. I closed my eyes standing in the street my barely pointed ears twitched slightly. I heard the fires, the boiling of the acid, growing of hounds, his voice. I opened my eyes, swallowed hard and walked to the barracks door, my muscles tense. I would just teach them of the demon hounds or fero's as we called them.

When I walked in they were practicing different acrobatics. This would allow them to move with some amount of agility without their weapons. They looked up, anxiety flaming around their pupils. I shook my head and they relaxed and continued their training. I walked to the side of the room, between the staggered wooden support beams and stone wall, towards the front where Asmodel stood lost in her thoughts. As I approached she blinked back to the now and turned to me. She still looked at both me and Elaina with that forced smile the kind where you crinkle your nose just a little too much and show more teeth than necessary. It looks more like a snarl than a smile, but it was as friendly as she was with us. "Any news?" She asked in a practiced gentle voice.